Wedding Day Countdown

Early Days

• Open a designated wedding bank account
• Design a savings plan
• Work out your budget
• Take out wedding insurance
• Set a provisional wedding date
• Book a toastmaster
• Book a wedding organiser or event planner
• Decide the style and feel of your wedding
• Draw up a list of guests (see freebie on www.performersagency.com)
• See your registrar or religious leader
• Book the venue for both your ceremony & reception
• Research local accommodation
• Set up a wedding website with links to local hotels
• Book your wedding night hotel
• Choose attendants – best man, matron of honour, ushers, bridesmaids etc
• Nominate two witnesses
• Start looking for wedding outfits
• Decide who is doing what
• Book Caterers
• Choose photographer
• Book Videographer
• Arrange wedding transport
• Begin a health/beauty regime
• Organise stationary
• Order the cake
• Book the florist
• Check that passports are in date
• Book time off work
• Book honeymoon
• Arrange vaccinations, visa & insurance
• Organise balloons & decorations
• Book musicians
• Book a DJ
• Organise other entertainers for the ceremony itself
• Reserve a firework display
• Decide on table decorations
• Choose wedding favours
• Compile a wedding gift list
• Book mobile make up & hair stylist for the day

6 – 4 months before

• Decide wedding music
• Finalise men’s outfit hire
• Arrange foreign currency/travellers cheques
• Send invitations/gift list details
• Choose wedding rings
• Confirm prior bookings (photographer, band, venue etc)
• Buy presents for all attendants/helpers

One month before

• Have you got your marriage authorities
• Finalise guestlist
• Organise place cards/seating plan
• Draw seating chart for reception
• Confirm numbers with caterers
• Order drinks
• Order ice
• Finish buying clothes for going away & honeymoon
• Inform florist about number of buttonholes
• Attend dress/menswear fittings
• Tell stationer number of place cards
• Think about speeches
• Write out special vows & readings & give to registrar/religious leader
• Finalise plans with helpers
• Book a cleaner to come in whilst you are on honeymoon
• Arrange stag/hen nights

Two weeks before

• Final clothes fittings for dress/suit
• Final check on all prior bookings
• Wear shoes around the house
• Start honeymoon packing
• Give photographer & videographer a list of important family members and guest “must take” shots
• Give a prepared checklist to helpers
• Send announcements to newspaper

One week before

• Arrange collection of hire items
• Make someone responsible for your wedding clothes
• Finalise arrangements with hairdresser/beautician
• Collect foreign currency/travellers cheques
• Confirm arrangements for taking gifts from the reception
• Prepare a list of wedding day preparations
• Arrange for snacks and champagne in your hotel room
• Have a romantic night/weekend – don’t talk about the wedding!
• Arrange for someone to check your reception venue on the morning of your wedding

Day before

• Treat yourself to a massage at a health spa
• Give rings, monies for fees & tips to best man/matron of honour
• Have luggage taken to hotel
• Speak to all attendants
• Relax & have an early night
• Set your alarm

On the day itself before you leave

• Give yourself plenty of time to prepare
• Don’t miss breakfast
• Have one glass of bubbly, but only one!
• Have a manicure & massage
• Check bouquet, buttonholes & corsages have arrived

During the day

• Have a great time!
• Set aside 15 mins per hour to sit quietly together & soak up the atmosphere…

At the airport

• Tell them you’re on honeymoon – ask for an upgrade

Honeymoon at home

• Have, if only a few, days at home
• Tell everyone you’re going away so they leave you in peace
• Fill the fridge with goodies
• Get all take-away menus together
• Order wine for home when you order for the reception
• Buy/hire DVD’s
• Open your presents

After the Honeymoon

• Send thank you notes
• Post or deliver cake to those not able to be at the wedding
• Give yourselves new things to look forward to.